The SSS Sam Simon...

No, that's not a Japanese research vessel (anymore) — it's the newest addition to Neptune's Navy, the SSS Sam Simon!

This ship was generously purchased for Sea Shepherd by Los Angeles-based philanthropist and co-creator of TV's "The Simpsons," Mr. Sam Simon. It is an ice-strengthened steel vessel that was retired from service by the Japanese Government in 2010 and recently purchased covertly from the Japanese government for use in Sea Shepherd campaigns. Her maiden voyage will be Operation Zero Tolerance!

http://www.seashepherd.org/the-sss-sam-simon-is-unveiled-in-hobart-tasmania-1471

Sea Shepherd - Why We Defend Oceans...

Run Paul Run..!

There's a new strange twist in the saga of Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson, under house arrest in Germany, out on bail while awaiting extradition proceedings that could send him to Costa Rica to face charges stemming from a decade-old confrontation with illegal shark finners.

Media reports (CNN, The Local) say Watson has apparently violated terms of his bail, not reporting in to authorities this past Sunday. His whereabouts are currently unknown according to these reports.
His lawyer has told a German court that Watson has left Germany "for an unspecified destination."
In response, an official statement from the court: "Since by fleeing, Watson has shown that he cannot justify the trust placed in him, the extradition process has been restarted."

Watson has previously said that he would willingly return to Costa Rica to face the charges, but would not submit to pre-trial detention in Costa Rica as he has a $20,000+ bounty on his head, placed there by the so-called shark fin mafia, and he fears for his life. Costa Rica has guaranteed Watson's safety.
For more detail on Watson's detention, please see the links to the left.

Watson is, of course, one of the central figures in Animal Planet's Whale Wars series. TreeHugger has requests in for more information on Watson's location, and for clarification on the events in question. We'll update you as soon as we have the relevant info.

UPDATE (08:45pm July 25):
Sea Shepherd has confirmed that Paul Watson has indeed left Germany, though even the administration of Sea Shepherd seems to not know where Watson is at the moment:

“Captain Watson’s attorney reports he has left Germany,” said Susan Hartland, Administrative Director of Sea Shepherd. We have reason to believe from a reliable source that, once in Costa Rica, the Japanese Government may have sought extradition of Captain Watson to Japan to answer charges related to obstructing their illegal whaling activities in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. We have no further information and are not in touch with him. We will do our best to provide more details as we learn more. We will post any new information as it arrives and we are able to confirm its validity."

Paul Watson's arrest & extradition...

2012 May 16 - Frankfurt, Germany - Sea Shepherd conducts a press conference at the Frankfurt, Germany, airport discussing Paul Watson's arrest.

Jolly Roger Stainless Bottle...

 http://shop.seashepherd.org/store/p/1404-Sea-Shepherd-Jolly-Roger-Water-Bottle.aspx

Sea Shepherd - Mission Accomplished

March 2012 - For the second year running SS Operation Divine Wind has had great success in the Southern Ocean protecting whales & the sanctuary from the Japanese Whaling Fleet..

http://www.seashepherd.org/

URGENT by the 24th February 2012...

Sea Shepherd need your help to create history by creating the largest marine sanctuary for the protection of our oceans.

The Coral Sea is a place where whales swim freely in warm tropical waters and coral reefs pulse with amazing colourful life. Now is our chance to protect this rare and unique place forever, but we need your help to get it over the line.

Click here to take action

It will only take a minute of your time that will set aside a future for our precious marine life, for the benefit of future generations. International submissions are also accepted.
Check out my new video message here.

This ocean wilderness is a hotspot for whales, dolphins, sharks, turtles and powerful fish like tuna and marlin. Located next to Australia’s iconic Great Barrier Reef, the Coral Sea is home to 28 species of whales and dolphins and pods of up to 400 melon-headed and false killer whales have been sighted. 26 of these magnificent species are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red list of threatened species, including the endangered Blue, Sei and Fin whales as well as bottlenose, spinner and striped dolphins.

Sharks are in deep trouble globally. Fortunately in the Coral Sea great numbers still swim in its clear waters, just as they have for millions of years. 46 internationally threatened species of sharks and rays live around the Coral Sea’s reefs, seamounts and vast open ocean. The endangered squat and scalloped headed hammerhead shark, Great Whites and Makos, Manta Rays and spotted eagle rays also call it home.

Surely a place where 341 Red Listed threatened species are found deserves our greatest protection!

With much of our global waters fished to the brink, polluted with toxic water, or littered with oil and gas developments, the Coral Sea is truly a special place. But it needs your help to stay this way.

Our Federal Environment Minister is now considering protecting the Coral Sea in a marine park and whilst his vision for the Coral Sea is encouraging - his plan would leave over 90% of the reefs unprotected. How can we protect the Coral Sea without protecting its coral reefs?

It’s not just the reefs that are missing out. The underwater volcanoes of the Coral Sea act like an oasis in the desert. Nutrients swell around these ancient landmarks drawing sharks and other predators from the miles around. Incredibly many of these amazing features and the animals they sustain will still fall victim to industrial scale longlining under the Minister’s Coral Sea plan.

Coral reefs occupy less than 1% of the worlds ocean surface, yet they provide a home for 25% of all marine species, with over one million species believed to be dependant on coral reefs for their survival.

One fifth of the worlds coral reefs have already perished and half the remaining reefs may disappear in only 20 years. The Coral Sea is one of the last great relatively unspoilt marine ecosystems left on earth.

We’ve only got until the 24th of February to make our voices heard. Please stand up and be the voice of the whales, sharks, dolphins and other marine life in the Coral Sea today.

Please make a quick submission today.

Peace...

The Plastiki Tour

Was talking to Andrew Dovell today who designed The Plastiki, so I thought I'd show you around it..

Check out the 3D tour at http://www.theplastiki.com/exploreplastiki/

Life Changing Events presents "OCEANS"

Monday 20th February, 2012 @ the Gold Coast Arts Centre
Doors open 5:45pm. Movie at 6:30pm.
For one night only!
For catering purposes and ensuring you are totally nourished...
Bookings are Essential..
www.trybooking.com/BCWS
Enquiries 0413 672 940

“Oceans” an award winning underwater documentary narrated by Pierce Brosnan
After four years in creation “Oceans” an ecological drama/documentary is at last making its Australian cinematic debut at the Paradise Room in the Gold Coast Arts Centre on the 20th of February 2012.

‘Oceans’ narrated by Pierce Brosnan, takes viewers on an underwater journey which allows them to witness the vanishing wonders of the sub-aquatic world. Viewers are guaranteed to experience a wave of emotions as they are both educated on the dangers and captured by the beauty, abundance of colour and life in our oceans. You will experience thrills and meditation as the mysteries that lie beneath the waves came to life.

Kym O’Connell, founder of the Life Changing Events production company, teamed up with directors Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud with the goal of creating a production aimed at educating viewers on the beauty and ecological importance of the ocean and its inhabitants.

This award winning documentary will take you to the four corners of the world, answer your wildest curiosities and allow you to delve deep into the mystical depths of the ocean, making it a must see for all ages. It’s a powerful celebration of our underwater world; a world that requires our attention.

Available in 6 languages ‘Oceans’ runs for 104 minutes and was brought by Disney in 2009. Media are encouraged to attend. A fabulous range of organic foods are available from 6pm, the documentary starts at 6.30pm and afterwards a panel of experts will discuss the issue raised by the documentary.

20 February 2012
Paradise Room
Gold Coast Art Centre
From 5.45pm movies starts at 6.30pm
Tickets available www.trybooking.com/BCWS

Surfrider Foundation..

Sea Shepherd's Flagship Vessel the Steve Irwin is Free at Last

Photo: Steve Irwin FREE..

Due to the generosity of our supporters around the world, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has raised over $735,000 to save the flagship Steve Irwin—less than two weeks after the launch of our SOS! - Save Our Ship fundraising campaign! Thank you to everyone who helped make it possible for us to fund a bond to release the vessel from detainment! Together, we will continue to make a difference.

As many of you are aware, on July 15, the Steve Irwin was detained in the Scottish Shetland Islands pending our ability to fund a bond we estimated to be in the amount of USD $1,411,692.87. The detainment was ordered by British courts due to a civil lawsuit brought against us by Maltese fishing company Fish & Fish Limited.

Thankfully, the bond was posted earlier today, and the Steve Irwin will soon depart to the Faeroes for Operation Ferocious Isles. The Steve Irwin will join the vessel Brigitte Bardot and her crew, who are already onsite defending pilot whales.

 Read the full story at: http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/2011/08/02/sea-shepherds-flagship-vessel-the-steve-irwin-is-free-at-last-1272

Emergency SOS from Captain Watson

Sea Shepherd needs our help!

The flagship, the Steve Irwin, has been seized by the British courts due to a frivolous lawsuit by a tuna poacher. We need your support in raising money for the bond. SOS - Save the Ship!

https://my.seashepherd.org/NetCommunity/SSLPage.aspx?pid=399

SOS Sea Shepherd...

SS vessel the Steve Irwin  has been detained by the United Kingdom courts because of a civil lawsuit brought against Sea Shepherd by a Maltese company: Fish and Fish Limited (F & F).

Back in June 2010, the Steve Irwin rescued endangered bluefin tuna from F & F nets. They are claiming damages. We believe these fish were caught illegally - after the season closed, without an inspector on board, and without any legal paperwork for their catch. This lawsuit gives us the opportunity to expose what we allege are illegal activities by F & F and we will aggressively defend the case on this basis. 

Read More; http://www.seashepherd.org/

Bob Barker in Sydney, Australia...

Sea Shepherd vessel Bob Barker docks in Sydney Harbor, welcoming visitors and supporters with tours of the ship. For more info and to keep up with the vessel's activities; go to www.seashepherd.org.

Last month FM had the pleasure of boarding the vessel in dry dock midst a hive of activity and spending time with Andrea, Potts and crew. Last week we met with Sea Shepherd Australia's Director Jeff Hansen and discussed concepts of how we can actively contribute to their cause/efforts, with some exciting results and look forward to the developments, which we will share as they unfold...

FM in conjunction with www.alkaway.com.au donated a AlkaStrean to the crew of the Bob Barker to filter, energise and alkalise the vast water supply, which I know they will appreciate and enjoy... ;-)

Peace

Extreme Make Over - Sea Shepherd style...

A time lapse video of The Bob Barker getting its new paint job.

We had the pleasure of boarding the vessel at about a month ago at the grey undercoat stage (1:00min mark), if you look closely you can see Slinky with brush in hand...

Good luck on your next mission in Palau saving the protected sharks...

Peace

Snubbed... by more coastal development...

We all need to do our www.seashepherd.org part to save these guys, apparently there's only 1000 left in the wild...